Back to Armenia #18

The weather was cold and snowy and there is still some ice in patches but we no longer feel a need to wear our Yak trax…at least until the next storm. We loved the way the frost covers the trees to make them look white. I love looking from the inside out and not vice versa. Brrrr!

Snowy view from our apartment

Yak Trax picture courtesy of Sister Jones

February, the month of love…love for family, love of the gospel and sharing it, caring for all our brothers and sisters throughout the earth.

We talk a lot with the youth about being and finding an eternal companion in our Saturday class and sometimes we just like to do activities where they can be together and enjoy one another. So, we headed for the ice skating rink at Hamalir, a hugh sports complex in Yerevan.

We celebrated with our Young Adults in a Valentine’s activity. It was fun, and we hope they appreciated the efforts of all involved to try and get them to get together, to meet someone new, and to form new relationships. It was all about “love”. Some of them actually danced together at the end…now that is progress!...maybe we can get them to the “like” each other stage.

View of room with its "heart" decorations

Lia and Ani frosting hearts of the party

Ani and Lia with a lot of hearts for the party

Some of the party goers, Nelly, Hasmik, Zarhui and Vahe

Helping the Elders as they teach about the Gospel, is an activity of “love” that we especially enjoy. On Valentine’s Day, we helped with an Iranian couple. They have a wonderful, kind and caring spirit about them. They are returning to Iran for a month or so, and when they come back, we’re hoping to continue to help teach them. Elder Thylin will be returning home to Sweden (we’ll miss him), but there will be another great elder in his place to carry on.

Elders Thylin and Steglich with Mahsmud and Nazanine and us

We had a lovely Valentine’s dinner with other Senior couples whom we have come to love and enjoy spending time with them. We were joined by the Budds. He is serving as a military attache at the US embassy and is a counselor in the Mission Presidency

Jones, Petersons, Carters, Pincocks, Budds, Riches

I wasn't in any of the pictures as I was the photographer for 1/2 dozen cameras, but someone else snapped this

This month at mission couple we were able to meet a brand new couple that is coming in. They will be serving in Georgia. We took the opportunity to take a picture and except for the Southwicks (who are in Georgia until April) these are all the currently serving missionaries in Armenia. They are a wonderful group.

Reeses, Pincocks, Riches, Petersons, Carters, Jones, VanDykes and Bluncks

 We love you all and appreciate your support and ongoing prayers. We miss you but are happy to be serving in Armenia